Marine propelling and steering mechanism



y 5, 1932- 1.. s. OLSEN 1,866,482

MARINE PROPELLING AND STEERING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 2, 1951 56 Jazz/71 73 C29 5 025970 INVENTOR;

HIS ATTO R NEY.

Patented July 5, 1932 UNITED STATES LAWRENCE S. OLSEN; OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS MARINE PROPELLING AND STEERING MECHANISM Application filed February 2, 1931.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in marine propelling and steerin mechanisms, and has for its princlpal object the provision of an improved construction of this character Which will be highly eflicient in use and economical in manufacture. Y

It is among the several objects of thls 1nvention to provide a marine propelling mechanism of the inboard type in which the propeller, while being rotated from the power shaft, may be moved by the steerlng cables in a complete circle and in a plane at right angles to the plane in which the propeller revolves, thereby to steer the boat by shifting the position of the propeller and wlthout employing a'rudder, the propeller actlng as a rudder. 7

Another object of the invention 1s to provide a structure serving the dual function of propelling and steering mechanism and to which power may be supplied by a horizontally extending power shaft rather than by employing the now commonly used construction in which the power shaft extends, from the power source to propeller, at an acute angle with the horizontal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure in which the propeller, being capable of movement by the steering cables ina circle lying in a plane at right angles to the plane in which the propeller revolves,

may be moved, while rotating, into position to reverse the movement of the boat thereby 85 gear. a

Another object of the invent1on, add1t1onal to the foregoing objects, is to provide a structure which may be used as an outboard motor and in which by means of a handle, the propeller, while being rotated at the sternof the boat, may be moved through substantially a semi-circular are lying in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the boat, so as to vary the depth of the propeller below the surface of the water; the propeller in this outboard typeof construction likewise being capable of being moved through a complete circle lying in a plane at right angles to the direction of rotation of the propeller, which to eliminate the use of a separate reversing Serial No. 512,952.

permits the propeller tobe used as both propelling and steering mechanism in both deep and very shallow water.

Other objects will apear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, showing the preferred form of construction and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a boat of conventional design, having portions thereof broken away to illustrate a preferred manner pf mounting the invention in operative posi- Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the invention in one preferred form of construction thereof and mounted as in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view, partly in section, of the invention as depicted, in Fig. 2, and on the line 33 in Fig. 2; I

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a modified form-of construction of the invention, showing the same as an outboard motor; and

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view on the line 5-5'in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing wherein the preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated, indicated at 10 is a boat of conventional design and which includes the bottom 11, stern or transom wall 12, steering wheel 13, steering cables 14, motor 15, power shaft 16, and steering cable pulleys 17 all of which may be of any approved construction and for either large or small vessels since the present invention is now limited to use with small boats of the type shown, for convenience, in Fig. 1.

The present invention provides a housing, generically indicated at 18 and which has an open front side over which a flange 19 is se cured to the housing by bolts 20, the flange 19 being an integral part of a sleeve 21 in which is rotatably mounted a hollow shaft 22 on the outer end of which is rigidly secured thereto a drum 23 about which the pulley cable 1 1 is wound. A shaft 24 is rotatably mounted in the hollow shaft 22, in bearings 25 and 26-, and this shaft 24 is intended to be 7 connected to the power driven shaft 16 by any suitable means, such as schematically indicated at 27 (Fig. 1). The rear end of the shaft 24 is journaled in a bearing 28 over which a plate 29 is disposed and secured to the housing 18 by bolts 30.

A bevel gear 31 is keyed to the shaft 24, as at 32, and'this gear meshes with a bevel gear 33 that is keyed to a shaft 34, as at 35, the shaft 34 extending at rightangles to the shaft 24. Over the open bottom side of the housing. 18 is secured, by means of bolts 36, a flange 37 of a sleeve 38 on which is provided a spherical surface or knuckle 39 that is movably mounted in bearing clamps 40 and 41 which are secured together'on opposite sides of the bottom 11 of the boat 10 by means of bolt and nut structures 42.

Rotatably mounted in the sleeve 38 is a hollow shaft 43 which has at its lower end a flange 44 that is secured by means of bolts 47 to a housing 45 that houses the propeller shaft 46. The shaft 34 is rotatably mounted in the hollow shaft 43, in bearings 48 and 49, and the lower end of the shaft 34 has keyed thereto, as at 50, a bevel gear 51 which meshes with a bevel gear 52 which is keyed to the propeller shaft 46, as at 53, the propeller shaft 46 being mounted in bearing surfaces 54 and 55 in the housing 45. A recess 56 is provided in the housing 45 for the reception of the gears 51 and 52 and this housing is tapered at its lower end to a water splitting edge, as indicated at 57 so as to minimize water resistance when moving through the water. Enclosing the lower end 38 of the sleeve 38 and the flange 44 of the hollow shaft 43 is a housing 58. A propeller 59,0f any approved design, is keyed to the shaft 46, as at 60, and held therein by a nut 61 which is mounted on the threaded end of the shaft 46.

A bevel gear 62 is mounted on the hollow shaft 22, within the housing 18, so as to be rotatable with said shaft 22, and this gear 62 meshes with a similar gear 63 carried by the inner end of the hollow shaft 43.

The operation of the invention, as depicted in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, is as follows: The power shaft 16 being connected to the shaft 24, power will be transmitted to shaft 24, gear 31, gear 33, shaft 34, gear 51, gear 52, and shaft 46 which will revolve propeller 59. lVhile thus revolving the propeller 59, the cables 14 may be moved by wheel 13 which will rotate drum 23, hollow shaft 22, gear 62, gear 63, and hollow shaft 43, and since housing 45 is connected by bolts 47 to flange 44 of shaft 43, housing 45, propeller shaft 46, and propeller 45 may be rotated in a circular path and in either direction, depending upon the movement of wheel 13. When disposed as in Figs. 1 and 2, the propeller 59 is in position for driving the boat 10 straight ahead but by moving the propeller in a circular path, (in a plane at right angles to the shaft 34), and holding the propeller at any desired point in said path, the propeller will act as a rudder and cause the boat to move to either port or starboard as desired, while by rotating the propeller 180 from its position in Figs. 1 and 2, the propeller will reverse the direction of movement of the boat 10, thereby eliminating the necessity of employing a reversing gear.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the invention is depicted in a modified form and as adapted to outboard use. In this form of construction the knuckle 39 and clamps 40 and 41 are dispensed with and a tongue 64 is fastened to the sleeve 38 by bolts 65. The tongue 64 travels in an arcuate groove 66 that is formed in a plate 67 that is secured to the wall 12 by bolts 68. In this form of construction, the sleeve 21 is rotatably mounted in a sleeve 69 which includes a flange 70 that is secured to the transom wall 12 by bolts 71, and the sleeve 21 has a band 72 fixed thereon which includes a handle portion 73. A locking pin 74 is extended through the wall 12 of the boat into an opening formed in an ear 75 on the flange 19 of sleeve 21, and when the boat 10 is normally traveling in sufliciently deep water the locking pin 74 will be disposed as in Fig. 4, so as to hold the propeller 59 in a vertical position. However, when it is desired to travel in shallow water, or when beaching the boat, the propeller 59 may be moved along the arc defined by the groove 66, thereby to position the propeller at various depths below the surface of the water, the tongue 64 traveling in the groove 66 during this movement of the propeller. Except as thus distinguished, the construction of Figs. 4 and 5 is similar to that of Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, although it is understood that for outboard use the various parts of the structure must be of smaller size than when the invention is employed onlarger boats and vessels.

The use of the hereinbefore described structure on other than boats is contemplated within the purview of this'invention, and in this connection the use of the same on airships or submarines is contemplated.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a simple structure which serves the combined function of propelling and steering mechanism, which is adapted to either inboard or outboard use, and which eliminates the use of a separate reversing gear while accomplishing the other objects of the invention, specifically including those pointed out herein and those apparent to persons skilled in the art.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set'forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

In combination with a vessel including power shaft and a transom wall, an outboard propeller and transmission mechanism mounted on said wall, the said mechanism including a rotatable sleeve about said shaft, a vertical shaft, a sleeve about the vertical shaft, means providing an arcuate groove outboard on the wall, a member carried by said vertical sleeve adapted to ride in said groove and be guided thereby, and a handle on the horizontal shaft inboard of the wall to rotate the horizontal sleeve and move said member through the groove and said mechanism throw a vertical arc whereby to accommodate the propeller to shallow as Well as deep Water.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LAWRENCE S. OLSEN. 

